As we start the new year all farmers should be asking themselves the question, how can we make our farms safer in 2025? Once again, transport equipment accidents featured highly in 2024 with quad ATV’s topping the list. I believe that everyone who rides a quad on the farm knows that they should be wearing a helmet, but just can’t be bothered. We must remember that a helmet greatly reduces the level of injury, but is only effective as the accident is happening. It’s the competence of the rider and the mechanical condition and settings of the ATV which are important in reducing accidents.
Other transport equipment involved in accidents are tractors and telescopic handlers. We see again that the causes of accidents are often related to the competence of the operator and the mechanical condition of the machine. One interesting fact relating to telescopic handlers which could have reduced stability related accidents is that in 2012 it became a legal requirement for all new telescopic handlers to be fitted with a hydraulic lock-out device. This disengaged the hydraulic if the machine became overloaded. As anticipated, this safety device was very unpopular with farmers when it was first introduced. Over the years it has become accepted and I believe has reduced the number of stability related accidents on farms. It will be interesting to monitor the number of entanglement accidents following the introduction of the PTO disengagement system, that happens with a tractor when the operator leaves the seat. When we start thinking about safety in farming, we must ask ourselves why some of these accidents happen? I have a few thoughts!
Firstly, farmers are very dedicated and determined people and when they see a job that needs doing, getting that job done will be the only thing on their mind. They are likely to go straight in without thinking about other factors in the areas that may affect their safety e.g. seeing a calf that is a few hours old that hasn’t sucked. The only thing on the farmer’s mind will be getting milk into that calf’s stomach. There is often no thought of what the cow may think or they have not made sure there’s a good gate between the farmer and the cow during the handling of the calf.
Another example would be someone wanting to spread fertiliser on a steep slope. Suddenly the first dry day for weeks arrives and the only thing on the farmer’s mind is spreading fertiliser, with often no thought of – have we got time to put the twin wheels on? When did we last check the tyre pressure on the tractor? Or asking should I be wearing a seat belt? Sadly, these are the situations that do cause accidents.
Other accidents that happen on farms may not be to the regular farm staff, it may well be to contractors or neighbours coming on to the farm. What farmers must know and understand is that once these people are working on a farm, the farmer or the controller of the site can be held responsible for any accidents that happen to them. Other industries such as construction or forestry have well used systems in place where contractors have to produce evidence to prove that all health and safety factors have been addressed; all equipment is up to standard and staff are all competent and experienced to do the job. This is commonly known as a ‘method statement’.
Once this documentation is in place it shows that the controller of the site has done all that is ‘reasonably practicable’ to ensure the safety of all workers on site. Over the years these unfortunate accidents have happened without completing these checks, and farmers have been held responsible.
As farmers we must consider health and safety to be a crucial part of our farm management. One very common problem we have in farming is that we all think that a farm accident will never happen to us!
Farming Connect offers a large range of health and safety related training courses, all funded up to 80% including:
Sit-astride ATV’s including Loads and Trailed Equipment
Sit-in ATV Conventional Steered
For more details please contact 03456 000 813